We’re getting closer and closer to the day when Phoebus High’s football or basketball playoff opponent will be Grafton or Smithfield rather than Hampton. The Virginia High School League on Thursday unveiled conference alignments for the new six classification state-wide setup virtually certain to replace the current three classifications at the start of the 2013-14 school year.

While traditional districts such as the area Peninsula and Bay Rivers will remain intact under the new VHSL plan – meaning that Hampton and Phoebus will continue to be regular season opponents – newly minted conferences of five to eight schools will replace districts as the first level of postseason team play in sports other than football.

It is all part of the VHSL plan to ensure that schools of similar enrollment size compete for state championships. So, barring a last-minute change of heart by membership in October, the league will divide its schools into six classifications of mostly 52 schools each, based strictly on enrollment size.

The six classifications replace the AAA, AA, A setup in place since the 1970-71 school year. The new classifications, with enrollment sizes in parenthesis, are: 6A (1,868-2,906 students), 5A (1,473-1,854), 4A (1,118-1,468), 3A (750-1,112), 2A (494-728), 1A (67-473),

Each classification will be divided into two regionals of 24 to 28 schools each. Those regions will be subdivided into four conferences of five to eight schools each, with the champion and runnerup in each advancing in most sports into eight-team regional tournaments.

The biggest exception will be football, in which the top 16 in each region will advance to the playoffs based on a power-point system, regardless of their conference standing. So, here are the statedwide classifications, regions and conferences Peninsula District and Bay Rivers District schools will be in beginning in 2013-14.

For all state, regional, conference and district setups, click on the links at the bottom of this blog.